James Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with hits like “Fire and Rain” and “You’ve Got a Friend.” Taylor has been married four times over the course of his life.
James Taylor’s Marriages
James Taylor married his first wife, Franni Bryson, in 1969 when he was 21 years old. Franni was a student at the Berklee College of Music when they met. They had two children together – Ben, born in 1977, and Sally, born in 1974. Taylor and Bryson divorced in 1983 after 14 years of marriage.
In 1985, James Taylor married actress Kathryn Walker. They first met when Walker appeared in Taylor’s music video for “Hourglass.” Taylor and Walker’s marriage only lasted 2 years before divorcing in 1996.
Taylor married his third wife, Caroline “Kim” Smedvig in 2001. Smedvig was a public policy and communications executive from Massachusetts. She and Taylor met through mutual friends in 1995. They had twin boys, Rufus and Henry, born in 2001. After 13 years of marriage, Taylor and Smedvig divorced in 2014.
Just a few months after his divorce from Smedvig was finalized, Taylor married again. In 2015, he wed Caroline “Kim” Smedvig, who was the director of marketing and communications at the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the time.
James Taylor’s Current Wife – Caroline “Kim” Smedvig
James Taylor and Kim Smedvig married on December 14, 2015 at the mother of the bride’s home in Lenox, Massachusetts. Smedvig is Taylor’s fourth wife after his previous marriages to Carly Simon, Kathryn Walker, and Caroline Smedvig.
Kim Smedvig was born in 1961 in Buffalo, New York. She graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Smedvig went on to earn a master’s degree in business administration from Boston University.
Before marrying Taylor, Smedvig worked in marketing and communications roles for the Boston Symphony Orchestra for over 20 years. She has also been involved with community and non-profit organizations in the Boston area over the years.
James Taylor and Kim Smedvig had met and become friends while Taylor was still married to his third wife. After his divorce, their friendship turned romantic and they became engaged in 2015. When they married, Taylor was 67 years old and Smedvig was 54.
The Wedding of James Taylor and Kim Smedvig
James Taylor and Kim Smedvig had an intimate winter wedding ceremony on December 14, 2015 in Lenox, Massachusetts. Lenox is located in the Berkshires area of western Massachusetts where Taylor has lived for many years.
The small candlelit ceremony took place at the home of Kim Smedvig’s mother, with less than 20 close friends and family members in attendance. After the nuptials, the wedding party had dinner at a local restaurant. Some of the celebrity guests included musician David Crosby and Taylor’s ex-wife Carly Simon.
At the time of their wedding, Taylor told Rolling Stone magazine that he and Smedvig didn’t want anything fancy or over-the-top. He said “We’re keeping it small, just family and a few close friends.”
Both the bride and groom wore simple and understated outfits for their small winter ceremony. James Taylor wore one of his trademark casual suits and Kim Smedvig wore an elegant ivory gown.
Kim Smedvig’s Life Today as James Taylor’s Wife
James Taylor and wife Kim Smedvig split their time between homes in Lenox, Massachusetts and Martha’s Vineyard. Even after getting married, Smedvig has maintained her own career and identity outside of her famous husband.
Smedvig currently serves on the Board of Directors for several arts-related non-profits in the Boston area. She is on the Board of Overseers for WGBH public broadcasting and is a Trustee for the Berkshire Music School. Kim Smedvig also continues consulting work in the field of marketing and communications strategy.
Taylor has spoken about how his wife Kim keeps him grounded and has brought stability to his life. Even though Taylor is an internationally famous musician, Smedvig does not seek out the spotlight. Not much is known about her life as James Taylor’s wife, as she maintains a very private personal life.
Kim Smedvig was introduced to Taylor’s twin boys from his previous marriage, Rufus and Henry, when they were just 10 years old. Now young adults, the boys have reportedly grown close to their step-mother over the last decade.
The Age Difference Between James Taylor and Kim Smedvig
There is a noticeable age gap between James Taylor and his current wife Kim Smedvig. Taylor was born in 1948 and is currently 75 years old. Smedvig was born in 1961, making her 62 years old.
This makes for a 13 year age difference between the couple. When they married in 2015, Taylor was 67 and Smedvig was 54, reflecting the same age gap. Some publications have contrasted Taylor’s “May-December” marriage to Smedvig with his previous marriages to women closer to him in age.
However, Taylor and Smedvig have not made an issue of their age difference. In the years since their wedding, their marriage appears to be a happy and stable one. The couple frequently appears together at public events looking content andholding hands.
Kim Smedvig’s Role in James Taylor’s Continued Sobriety
Earlier in his life and career, James Taylor struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism. His substance abuse issues negatively impacted his first marriage to Carly Simon in the 1970s.
Taylor first got sober in 1983 and has spoken about battling addiction and staying clean. He has said that his wife Kim Smedvig played an important part in maintaining his sobriety in recent years.
In a 2015 interview with the Boston Globe, Taylor shared: “I have a wife who’s just so stable and grounded and patient and understanding and loving…It’s great to have that reinforcement in my life.”
Kim Smedvig’s calm demeanor and stable lifestyle seems to provide James Taylor with a positive environment free of bad habits. Her candle shop, TAYLORd Candles, also offers employment opportunities to those recovering from addiction.
In an interview on the Today Show in 2019, Taylor said his marriage to Smedvig “contributes a lot to the equilibrium that I need to write, to perform, record, and everything else I’m doing.”
Kim Smedvig is James Taylor’s Longest Marriage
As James Taylor’s fourth wife, Kim Smedvig holds the distinction of being married to Taylor for the longest amount of time so far. Previous wives Carly Simon, Kathryn Walker, and Caroline Smedvig were each married to Taylor for only a few years at the most.
In 2023, James Taylor and Kim Smedvig will celebrate 8 years of marriage. Most of Taylor’s previous marriages only lasted between 2 to 5 years. His 13-year marriage to third wife Caroline Smedvig was Taylor’s longest until now.
It seems that in Kim Smedvig, who is 13 years his junior, Taylor has found a partner for the long run. Their marriage also came later in Taylor’s life, after he had been through divorce multiple times already.
At over 7 years and counting, Taylor’s marriage to Smedvig has outlasted his previous marriages. Their relationship appears to offer Taylor happiness and stability as he enters his later career. Only time will tell if Taylor and Smedvig celebrate 10, 20 or 30 years of marriage together.
Kim Smedvig Enjoys the Quiet Life in Massachusetts
After growing up in Buffalo, New York and spending over 20 years living in Boston, Massachusetts has become Kim Smedvig’s adopted home state. She and James Taylor have embraced the quiet, rural lifestyle in Western Massachusetts.
The Berkshires region where Taylor and Smedvig reside is known for its natural beauty, arts culture, andcommunity spirit. While James Taylor’s career takes him on world tours, Kim Smedvig spends ample time at their Massachusetts homes.
Rather than the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles or New York City, Smedvig appears to prefer the simplicity of small-town living. She remains actively involved with local non-profits and cultural institutions in nearby towns.
In her downtime, Kim Smedvig enjoys organic gardening, growing flowers and herbs on her properties. Her candle-making hobby also connects her to traditional crafts and the tranquility of the Berkshires.
Kim Smedvig leads a relatively quiet existence focused on family and community, providing a peaceful retreat for her famous husband James Taylor.
Conclusion
In summary, James Taylor is currently married to his fourth wife, Kim Smedvig. The two wed in December 2015 after over a decade of friendship and courting. Smedvig works in arts marketing and lives a private life focused on family and community.
Despite a 13 year age gap, Taylor and Smedvig’s marriage appears solid and stable. As Taylor’s longest marriage to date, it seems he has found comfort, support and love with Kim Smedvig. She plays an important role in the legendary singer’s sobriety and life in rural Massachusetts.